Couple CLASH
Participant Information Sheet and FAQs
Participant Information Sheet
The Participant Information Sheet will tell you absolutely everything you need to know about this study. It is important that you read it carefully before deciding to take part in this study.
Please also download and keep a copy for your personal record.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Couple CLASH team consists of leading international researchers and people who have been studying romantic relationships for decades. Our team brings a wide range of expertise to the Couple CLASH study. Click here to learn more about who is on the Couple CLASH team.
Who is on the Couple CLASH team?
Who can participate in Couple CLASH?
We are seeking couples who identify as being in a same-sex or heterosexual relationship. To be eligible to participate you and your partner must also meet the following criteria:
Be willing to participate in the study
Be over the age of 18
Be fluent in English (writing, reading and speaking)
Not currently subject to any criminal proceedings
If you and your partner choose to take part in the video-recorded discussion tasks (i.e., Option 2), you must be living in Australia.
What do I need to participate?
All you and your partner need is access to the internet, an email address and a mobile phone.
If you choose to participate in the video-recorded discussion task (i.e., Option 2) and you would like to do this online via Zoom, you are required to have a smartphone or webcam, as well as two quiet, confidential rooms for you and your partner to participate in separately. For example, one partner may be in the living room, while the other partner is in the bedroom.
What do people get for participating?
At the completion of the study, couples who have completed all 5 surveys will receive a $60 AUD gift voucher ($30 AUD gift card per person), as well as access to a self-directed online couple therapy program and a relationship enrichment pack that contains evidence-based tips and resources for sustaining positive relationships.
If you and your partner have also engaged in the video-recorded discussion tasks, then you will receive an additional $40 AUD gift voucher ($20 AUD per person). That means, couples who choose to participate in the video-recorded discussion tasks will receive a total of $100 AUD ($50 AUD per person) in gift vouchers.
How much time will participating in this study take?
Each survey is expected to take 40 minutes to complete. There are 5 surveys in total. If you are participating in Option 1 (i.e., completing the surveys only), then it is expected that your involvement in this study will take approximately 3.5 hours across the 12-months.
We have trialled the survey length and are confident that the survey will only take you around 40 minutes to complete. We will email you a link to the survey every 3 months over the 12-month period.
If you and your partner choose to engage in the video-recorded discussion task, your total time participating in this study will be an additional 2 hours. The discussion task involves two short discussions with your partner (1 x 10min, 1 x 3min), however, we advise you to allow approximately 90 minutes for each of the appointments (once at the start of the study [baseline] and once at the end of the study [12-months after baseline]). This allows plenty of time for you to complete the survey, complete the discussion task and ask any questions you may have. Appointments may not take the full 90 minutes, but just to be safe, you should allow this much time.
Do I need to complete all of the surveys?
Yes. However, if you begin the study and cannot participate any longer you are free to withdraw at any time.
Please note that the $60 AUD gift voucher and access to the online couple therapy program is only provided to couples who complete a minimum of 75% of the surveys.
What happens if I miss a survey?
While we are encouraging that all participants complete the survey on the same day they receive it from us, we understand that life can get in the way, and that sometimes it is difficult to keep up with everything we commit to. Each survey will remain open until the month before we send you the next survey, which means you have a while to go back and complete a missed survey. If you miss a survey entirely, then just move on to the next survey.
Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. Participants are under no obligation to participate and can withdraw from the study at any time.
Can participants pull out of the study if they need or want to?
All information, data and responses are treated as strictly confidential and we will not disclose any responses to your partner who is taking part in the study with you. All personal information (e.g., name, mobile number and email address) and data will be securely stored and password protected. Only accessible by the researchers working on this project.
At the conclusion of the study, the data will be stored for a minimum of six years under University guidelines.
What happens to my information and responses?
Only the research team working on this project can access your data. No one (including your partner) can request to see your data.
Your privacy is very important to us. Your personal information will not be shared with any third party or person outside the research team working on this project.
Please note, only group data will be published. The data we publish will not be identifiable and, therefore, cannot be linked back to you in any way.
Who has access to my data?
On completion of the study, findings will be published on this website.
The SoAR Laboratory is the research group behind Couple CLASH. The results from this study may be used in conference presentations or published in peer-reviewed journals.
What will happen with the data at the end of the study?
Still have questions?
If you still have questions we would love to hear from you. You can get a hold of us via email at coupleCLASH@deakin.edu.au or phone (03) 9244 5081.
Ready to participate?
As a first step, make sure you have discussed participating with your partner, as you are required to participate as a couple.
Then, click the button below to find out if you are eligible to participate.
We sincerely appreciate your interest and involvement!
I am not eligible to participate but I still want to be involved!
If you are not eligible to participate but still want to help the Couple CLASH study, you can get involved by spreading the word about our study to other eligible couples that you know. This would be a fantastic help to the study!